Methods and systems for mapping locations of wireless transmitters for use in gathering market research data

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems are provided for mapping locations of wireless transmitters for use in gathering market research data. A layout map includes location data representing a plurality of locations within a market research area. Transmitter data representing respective ones of the wireless transmitters is provided and the transmitter data is associated with the location data.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/800,884, filed Mar. 15, 2004 (Now U.S. Pat. No. 8,229,469),titled “Methods and Systems for Mapping Locations of WirelessTransmitters for Use in Gathering Market Research Data,” issued Jul. 24,2012, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to methods and systems for mappinglocations of wireless transmitters for use in gathering market researchdata.

BACKGROUND

Managers of commercial establishments, such as retail stores, shoppingmalls, transportation centers and the like, responsible for maximizingsales of products and services, are well aware that the layout of theirfacilities has a substantial impact on sales volume. To evaluate thisimpact, it is necessary to gather data characterizing the flow ofcustomer traffic into and within the facility. This data will reveal thelocations where customers are present more frequently (“hot spots”) andthose where customer traffic is lighter (“cold spots”). With thisinformation, it is possible for the manager to make changes in featuresthat affect accessibility, lighting, fixture space, product placement,and the like that will improve product exposure and reduce the numberand/or size of cold spots.

The tracking data, along with product placement data are also importantto distributors of products sold in commercial establishments. Thisinformation enables them to evaluate whether their products arereceiving sufficient attention in a retail store, so that the cost ofshelf space is justified. It also enables them to assess whether theyshould request shelf space for their products in a different location inthe store.

Traditionally such traffic flow studies have been conducted manually.One or more of the manager's employees would record the movements ofcustomers within the facility on a sheet representing its layout. Theaccumulated data would then be reviewed by the manager. Clearly, this isa labor-intensive way of gathering such data. It is also potentiallyannoying to customers if the employees tracking them are not verydiscrete.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,463,143, titled “Methods and Systems for GatheringMarket Research Data Within Commercial Establishments,” assigned to theassignee of the present application and hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety, discloses cost effective and potentially lessannoying techniques for gathering market research data concerning thepresence and movements of customers in commercial establishments andelsewhere. These techniques employ one or more wireless transmittersplaced near or within such commercial establishments. It is oftennecessary to map the identities or other relevant data of thetransmitters to their locations to be able to determine the presence andmovements of customers participating in such market research studies.

A further useful application of wireless transmitters in market researchis in gathering data indicating exposure of panelists to billboards,posters and other types of media displays providing advertisements orother promotional information. The wireless transmitters are placed inproximity to the media displays to transmit a location signal which isreceived by a portable monitor carried by a panelist to indicate thepanelist's exposure to the media display.

In order to carry out such marketing studies, it is often necessary tomap the identities or other relevant data of the various wirelesstransmitters to their locations and/or to the media display, productdisplay, product or other object of interest. It is desirable,therefore, to provide setup methods, devices and systems for thetransmitters that efficiently record their locations or other key datain a database from which suitable reports may be produced, using aminimum amount of effort and expense.

SUMMARY

For this application the following terms and definitions shall apply:

The term “data” as used herein means any indicia, signals, marks,symbols, domains, symbol sets, representations, and any other physicalform or forms representing information, whether permanent or temporary,whether visible, audible, acoustic, electric, magnetic, electromagneticor otherwise manifested. The term “data” as used to representpredetermined information in one physical form shall be deemed toencompass any and all representations of the same predeterminedinformation in a different physical form or forms.

The term “media data” as used herein means data which is widelyaccessible, whether over-the-air, or via cable, satellite, network,internetwork (including the Internet), distributed on storage media, orotherwise, without regard to the form or content thereof, and includingbut not limited to audio, video, text, images, animations, web pages andstreaming media data.

The term “database” as used herein means an organized body of relateddata, regardless of the manner in which the data or the organized bodythereof is represented. For example, the organized body of related datamay be in the form of a table, a map, a grid, a list or in any otherform.

The term “layout map” as used herein means a database of datarepresenting locations in an area or areas for the purpose of marketresearch.

The term “network” as used herein includes both networks andinternetworks of all kinds, including the Internet, and is not limitedto any particular network or inter-network.

The terms “first” and “second” are used to distinguish one element, set,data, object or thing from another, and are not used to designaterelative position or arrangement in time.

The terms “coupled”, “coupled to”, and “coupled with” as used hereineach mean a relationship between or among two or more devices,apparatus, files, programs, media, components, networks, systems,subsystems, and/or means, constituting any one or more of (a) aconnection, whether direct or through one or more other devices,apparatus, files, programs, media, components, networks, systems,subsystems, or means, (b) a communications relationship, whether director through one or more other devices, apparatus, files, programs, media,components, networks, systems, subsystems, or means, and/or (c) afunctional relationship in which the operation of any one or moredevices, apparatus, files, programs, media, components, networks,systems, subsystems, or means depends, in whole or in part, on theoperation of any one or more others thereof.

The terms “communicate” and “communication” as used herein include bothconveying data from a source to a destination, and delivering data to acommunications medium, system or link to be conveyed to a destination.

The term “processor” as used herein means processing devices, apparatus,programs, circuits, systems and subsystems, whether implemented inhardware, software or both.

The terms “storage” and “data storage” as used herein mean data storagedevices, apparatus, programs, circuits, systems, subsystems and storagemedia serving to retain data, whether on a temporary or permanent basis,and to provide such retained data.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method isprovided for mapping locations of wireless transmitters havingassociated transmitter representative data and positioned for detectingthe presence of participants in market research. The method comprisesproviding a portable device storing data representing locations within aresearch area relevant to the market research; inputting transmitterlocation data in the portable device representing selected locations ofthe wireless transmitters relative to the research area; and associatingdata representing each wireless transmitter with respective transmitterlocation data in the portable device.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a systemis provided for mapping locations of wireless transmitters havingtransmitter representative data and positioned for detecting thepresence of participants in market research. The system comprises aportable device storing location data representing locations within aresearch area relevant to the market research; and a processor withinthe portable device operative to associate the location data with datarepresenting respective wireless transmitters positioned at thelocations.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method isprovided for mapping locations of wireless transmitters used in marketresearch. The method comprises providing a layout map including locationdata representing a plurality of locations within a market researcharea; providing transmitter data representing respective ones of thewireless transmitters; and associating the transmitter data with thelocation data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of exampleand not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in whichlike references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a floor of a retail store for use inillustrating certain embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a table of a database populatedby means of certain embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a user interface of a portable deviceof an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the portable device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates various techniques for downloading data from theportable device of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a table of a database populatedwith data for use in market research.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is useful for facilitating the set up of marketresearch studies that employ wireless transmitters to detect thepresence and/or movements of individuals participating in such studies.These studies provide various types of data useful to marketers,advertisers, media organizations, managers and the like, to assessexposure to advertising and promotional efforts, their effects oncustomer behavior as well as other facets of customer behavior.

An example of devices, methods and systems useful in conducting atraffic flow study employing wireless transmitters and useful to a storemanager as well as to the store's product suppliers in assessing thebehavior of customers in the store, is now provided. FIG. 1schematically illustrates a floor of a retail store having an entrance20 and a plurality of fixtures 24 comprising shelving for productsoffered for sale. The fixtures 24 define aisles 28 therebetween.

A portable monitor 32 is carried on the person of a panelistparticipating in a market research study to track the presence andmovements of the panelist into and within the retail store, as well asother such retail stores participating in the study. As depicted in FIG.1, when the panelist enters the retail store at the entrance 20, theportable monitor 32 carried by the panelist receives a location signalfrom a radio frequency (RF) transmitter 36 positioned in proximity tothe entrance 20. In certain embodiments, acoustic transmitters, infraredlight transmitters and/or visible light transmitters are employed inplace of or in addition to one or more RF transmitters in conducting thestudy.

The location signal contains data from which the presence of thepanelist at the entrance can be determined. Such data in certainembodiments comprises a transmitter identification code that uniquelyidentifies the transmitter 36. This transmitter identification code isstored in a database where it is associated with data identifying thelocation of the transmitter at the entrance to the retail store.

The strength of the transmitted location signal, along with thecapabilities of the monitor 32 to receive and accurately decode the datain the transmitted location signal are selected to ensure that monitor32 will only detect the data contained in the location signal when it issufficiently near the identified location. When the monitor 32 detectsthe data contained in the location signal, it either stores the data ordata based thereon, together with a time stamp indicating the time atwhich the data was received.

After the panelist has entered the store and then proceeds down an aisle28 flanked by shelves holding various products offered for sale, thepanelist comes into the range of a transmitter 40. The portable monitor32 carried by the panelist then detects the data contained in a furtherlocation signal from the transmitter 40, and stores it along with a timestamp indicating the time of detection of the further location signal.If the panelist lingers in the vicinity of transmitter 40, thisindicates that the panelist may be interested in purchasing a productadjacent the transmitter.

Accordingly, periodically or from time to time the monitor 32 checks forthe detection of the data contained in the same or a different locationsignal. If the data of the further location signal has again beendetected, the monitor 32 stores further data indicating a duration ofthe continuous presence of the panelist in the vicinity of transmitter40.

As the panelist pauses in the vicinity of a transmitter 56 shown in FIG.1 near the end of a store fixture 24, the monitor detects a furtherlocation signal from transmitter 56. The transmitter 56 may be mountedon a product display, which serves to attract attention to a product,which it carries or contains. As the panelist stops by the productdisplay, the monitor records data indicating the duration of thepanelist's presence near the product display providing an indication ofits effectiveness in attracting consumer attention.

As the panelist proceeds down another aisle, the monitor 32 detects datacontained in a location signal from a transmitter 70 placed above theaisle to estimate the amount of traffic therethrough to detect whetherthe aisle is a “cold spot” in the store. The detected data is stored bythe monitor 32 in a respective record.

Still later the panelist pauses in the vicinity of another transmitter78 to examine a product. Shortly thereafter, the panelist proceeds tothe checkout counter to pay for the selected products, and then leavesthe store, which is recorded in the monitor 32 by a further detection ofthe location signal from transmitter 36.

In order to carry out the market flow study as illustrated by FIG. 1, incertain embodiments a market research installer installs transmitters36, 40, 56, 70, and 78 at their selected locations. In certainembodiments, the transmitters comprise stand-alone devices which storeall necessary data for communication with the monitor 32. In certainembodiments, the transmitters comprise RFID tags, and/or any othersuitable wireless transmitters. In certain embodiments, the transmittersare coupled with existing data storage and/or communication devices,such as intelligent shelf systems. Intelligent shelf systems serve togather data concerning products placed on shelves or other productpresentation devices for inventory control purposes and communicate suchdata as well as the identity of the shelf or other device beingmonitored. The transmitter 40 is coupled with the intelligent shelfsystem to obtain the data provided thereby and serves to transmit itwirelessly to be received by the monitor 32. In such embodiments, thetransmitter 40 either is installed by the market research installer, orconstitutes a wireless transmitter forming a part of the intelligentshelf system. An example of a market research system that cooperateswith an intelligent shelf system as described above is disclosed in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/800,883 filed concurrently herewith inthe names of James M. Jensen and Eugene L. Flanagan III, assigned to theassignee of the present application and hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. The installer or another also records variousdata associated with each installed transmitter such as client name,geographic location of the install, location of the transmitter at theresearch site, transmitter ID, the product and/or promotional displaythat the transmitter was located on or near, and/or the name of thedistributor/manufacturer whose product and/or promotional display thatthe transmitter was located on or near.

In certain embodiments, market research personnel log the locations ofpreviously installed transmitters and data provided thereby. Suchpreviously installed transmitters include wireless data communicationdevices which serve to wirelessly communicate data from intelligentshelf systems, including shelf or other product presentation deviceidentification data and/or data concerning products presented for salethereby.

An example illustrating the recordation of such data is shown by table79 of FIG. 2 and the examples of the data and the types of data caninclude more or fewer data types. The manual entry of such data intotable 79 or similar data record would be labor intensive and prone toerror due to the numerous opportunities to incorrectly enter erroneousdata. Also, timely access to the entered data would be a problem becauseof the period of time that lapses between data entry and itsavailability for use by a market researcher.

The present invention addresses this challenge by providing methods andsystems for mapping locations of the wireless transmitters quickly andefficiently by means of a portable device that is enabled to relay theentered data in near-real time. An embodiment of such a device isillustrated as portable device 80 of FIG. 3. Portable device 80 is adevice such as a PDA, cellphone, laptop, organizer or the like on whicha map 82 is presented to a user, e.g., market researcher and/or marketresearch installer.

Map 82 represents a data set displayed on portable device 80 thatdepicts a particular location such as that of a particular commercialestablishment, e.g. the location represented in FIG. 1. In certainembodiments, map 82 represents locations through the use of a coordinatesystem, e.g. a coordinate system controlled by a positioning system suchas the global positioning system (“GPS”). In certain embodiments, themap 82 represents a location of a commercial establishment or objects orfeatures therein. such as rooms, fixtures, aisles, floors and the like.The locations can be represented by absolute or relative data, and canbe either approximate or precise, depending on the application.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the portable device 80 in block diagramformat. A user can enter data such as transmitter location data, e.g.,for transmitter 78, into portable device 80 through user interface 94.User interface 94 in various embodiments comprises a keyboard,touchscreen, mouse, joystick, trackball, voice activated interface,microphone, or the like by which a user can enter data into portabledevice 80.

The entered transmitter location data is processed by processor 98,which is in communication with user interface 94, according to the needsof portable device 80 and the user. For example, data entered throughuser interface 94 can be sent to storage 96 for later recall and/or thedata can be sent to display 100 for presentation to the user.

Portable device 80 also includes wireless receiver 102 and first antenna104 for communicating with a transmitter being installed. In certainembodiments such communication is carried out for checking and/orsetting the operational parameters of the transmitter as well as forrecording the transmitter ID data from a particular transmitter. Incertain embodiments, the functions of wireless receiver 102 are carriedout by an RFID reader. In certain embodiments, in addition to or insteadof wireless receiver 102, portable device 80 includes a scanner 107 bywhich a user scans a code disposed on a transmitter to enter transmitterID number data into the system. As an alternative to the foregoing, orin addition thereto, certain embodiments enable the user to enter atransmitter ID number using user interface 94, e.g. keyboard 83. Inaddition, portable device 80 contains wireless data communication 108and second antenna 106 for enabling portable device 80 to communicatewith a centralized or remote processor.

For instance and referring to FIG. 5, portable device 80 sends a signal110 generated by wireless data communication 108 and transmitted bysecond antenna 106 to communication network 162. The wirelesscommunications link can be of any technology known in the art such as acell network, WiFi network, wireless Local area network (LAN), or thelike. Signal 110 contains transmitter location data that can be relayedby communications network 162 to centralized processor 166, which storestransmitter location data in a database that can represent data in aform such as table 79.

In certain embodiments, in the alternative to the foregoing or inaddition thereto portable device 80 includes device interface 114 (seeFIG. 4), which interfaces with device couple 112 (see FIG. 5) to relaydata over communications network 162. This embodiment is realized usingany technology known in the art such as a modem/phone jack connection,contacts/contacts port connection, wireless transceiver pair, and thelike.

An example of how the present invention is utilized will now bedescribed. In one embodiment of the present invention, portable device80 is used by a user such as a market researcher and/or a marketresearch installer to set up a market research site in a commercialestablishment such as the one schematically shown in FIG. 1. The userinitiates the setup process by retrieving from storage 96 of portabledevice 80, map 82 of the commercial establishment in which the user issetting up the market research site. In certain embodiments the userretrieves map 82 from centralized processor 166 via wireless datacommunication 108 and/or device interface 114. In certain embodimentsthe user creates map 82 on-site on portable device 80. In certainembodiments the user uses a combination of two or more of the foregoingmethods to generate map 82.

Once the user has access to map 82 on display 100 of portable device 80,the user can begin the process of installing the data representing thelocation of transmitters installed in the market research area. In oneembodiment, wireless receiver 102 of portable device 80 receives asignal from a transmitter being installed and detects the data therein.In certain embodiments, scanner 107 is employed to input transmitterdata. In certain embodiments display 100 presents data in the form of animage 90 associated with data representing the transmitter and itslocation. In certain embodiments, image 90 is produced in response toreceipt or input of transmitter data. In certain embodiments, theinsertion of image 90 is controlled by a user activating a selectableconnection on portable device 80 to input transmitter data.

The user manipulates the location of image 90 to move image 90 to aposition on map 82 corresponding to the location of the transmitter.Portable device 80 then stores a record including the detected data fromthe transmitter along with data representing its position generated bythe positioning of the image 90.

For instance, the position of image 90 is moved from its presentposition to location 84 on map 82, which correlates to the location oftransmitter 78 in FIG. 1. User interface 94 in this embodiment is atouch screen activated through the use of stylus 86 or other similarobject. In certain embodiments user interface 94 enters data tomanipulate image 90 by means of a keyboard, mouse, joystick, trackballand/or voice activated command module.

If the market research study requires the installation of more than onetransmitter at this location, then the user continues to record dataindicative of the location of additional transmitters placed for aparticular market research study in a particular commercialestablishment using portable device 80. The data indicative oftransmitter location then can be stored in storage 96, processed furtherby processor 98, and/or relayed to centralized processor 166 for furtherprocessing.

In certain embodiments, the centralized processor 166 stores thereceived transmitter location data in one or more databases from whichit is accessed to produce market research reports based on datarepresenting the locations of transmitters in a commercialestablishment. Such a market research report can include the data fromtable 79 and data gathered from monitor 32, for example, as illustratedby table 114 in FIG. 6. The transmitters' location data can be accessedand evaluated with the data from various parts of tables 79 and 114 toproduce useful market research reports concerning the likely behavior ofcustomers when they are exposed to a particular product and/or service,and/or promotional display.

Although various embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, featuresand the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possiblearrangements or features, and indeed many other embodiments,modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill inthe art.

1. A method for displaying map information for wireless transmittershaving associated transmitter representative data and positioned fordetecting the presence of participants in market research, comprising:receiving data representing locations within a research area relevant tothe market research; inputting transmitter location data in the portabledevice representing selected locations of the wireless transmittersrelative to the research area; and associating data representing eachwireless transmitter with respective transmitter location data in theportable device.